tied
by elphie gray
Summary: a figure from Claudia's past re-appearing, causing her to reveal what really happened at the Institute, and finding herself in more danger then she has ever been in before
1. prologue

The girl sprinted down the empty street, avoiding the bins and the newspaper stands. She ducked quickly into the alleyway and crouched behind a large dustbin, whipping her phone out as she went. She was halfway through her message when she heard them. They didn't need to mask the sound of their footsteps; she knew who they were after. Silently she wriggled her way out from behind the bin and made her escape. Before she could take more than a few steps, thick arms enveloped her and she felt the sharp pinch of the needle sliding into her neck. She never saw the van or felt them lifting her into it. All she was conscious of was the undeniable terror that engulfed her as she realised who they were really after…


	2. you have a new message

Claudia was thinking. She had him cornered, but she didn't know how best to approach this situation. All she knew was that she had to move fast. She reached out her hand and made her move. Pete's hand came crashing down

"Ha! Check mate! Oh yeah, score one for the pete-sta" he said with his puppy-dog grin.

Claudia sighed. His move wasn't legal, but he had been practising and who was she to put a good dog down? Myka made her way cautiously down the stairs, wondering how Pete could have bested their resident genius. She looked towards the door as she heard arties car pull up and hurriedly made her way to the dining room, eager for the next case. As she reached the still gloating Pete, she held out Claudia's phone.

"This has been beeping for over half an hour." She said as matter-of-factly as possible.

Claudia was perplexed. She had a voicemail, but only 7 people in the world knew this number, but this number was unknown. By this time Artie had arrived, violently plonking his case on the table by Pete's feet.

"Right. Today you are off to Springfield, Oregon. There has been a spree of young boys waking up in the woods with no recollection…"

Artie looked up and stopped, his heart rising to his mouth. Myka and Pete turned to see an ashen Claudia gripping the doorframe, her hand still clutching the air where her phone had been. She swayed, and within an instant Pete was holding her, coaxing her into a nearby chair. Artie managed to make out one word before she gave in and collapsed.

"Anya."

(4 years previously)

Anya Harper walked down the quiet corridor to room 307. Being new to the Midwest Psychiatric Clinic, this was the only patient she had contact with, although this wasn't strictly her patient. Nevertheless she wanted to help her. Usually Thursdays had just been routine assessments, but today was different. Today she would be presenting her case for giving her patient paroled release, meaning that whilst she would still have to have sessions with Anya, she wouldn't have to live at the Institute any longer. She knocked softly on the door.

"Claudia? Can I come in?"

(Present day)

"Anya was the first person to believe me about Joshua. The only person actually. We would spend my assessment times with me explaining the math of his experiment to her, and she correcting my physics calibrations. She was the one to convince the board that I was 'stable' enough to be paroled. At first, she called every few days to see how I was, how the experiment was. But then they became less and less frequent, till I got a message saying that some trouble from back home had been stirred up and she had to sort it out. That was the last time I heard from her, a few months before I hacked the warehouse."

Claudia slumped in her chair. She looked exhausted, but Myka knew they needed more answers.

"So what did the voicemail say?" she asked as softly as possible.

Claudia hesitated before she spoke, even though those words would be etched into her mind for a long time to come.

"They know where you are. Run." She paused again, trying to find the right words." After we lost contact I thought maybe I could try and help her, you know to thank her for what she did for me? Remember Dr. Mitchner? The one who you met in…yeah. Well anyway turns out he actually convinced the board that I was a liability. Not only to myself but to everyone around me. Their verdict was that I should remain at the Institute indefinitely. So Anya hacked in and forged my release papers, got me out. That's why she is in trouble. They are looking for me. They don't want a missing patient on their records, especially one who is sane enough to tell the world about his so-called treatments. But she never told me. To keep me safe. And now they have her, and they are going to come after me. "

The room was silent for a minute. Each person trying to process what they had just heard. Pete recovered first.

"Well there is no way they are getting to you Claud, I mean; they would have to take me out first. And by me I mean Myka."

"Yeah, and you know we can find her, right Artie?" chipped in Myka.

Artie grumbled his assent. He knew that Claudia would hate to see how worried he was about her. Claudia rose unsteadily.

"I think I just need some air. I'll be out on the porch, and no Pete, I don't need company. Thanks."

The others watched as the ghost of their Claudia walked past them and silently out of the front door. As soon as she was outside and out of sight, she sank to the floor and began to sob; not only out of fear for Anya, but fear for her team and herself. Here she had finally found a home and she thought she had gotten away from those nightmares, but now it was all about to be ripped from her grasp. Then again, what choice did she have? Save herself and abandon the person who got her here in the first place? No, that wasn't who she was, not now not ever. Claudia's thoughts were interrupted by a sharp familiar pain in her neck. She reached up and found a tiny dart protruding from her neck. She turned and stumbled towards the door. But as sleep took over, she found herself in strong arms before she even hit the ground, and in the van before she even left consciousness.


	3. gone

Claudia's consciousness came back to her slowly, taking her a few minutes to realise where she was. The room was bare, exposed brick walls and patches of plaster crumbling gently off of the walls. The strip lighting gave the room an ominous feel, _clearly they love a good clich__é_ thought Claudia, winching as she moved her shoulders. Her hands had been cabletied behind her, but it was the figure in front of her that was intriguing and worrying her the most. She was thin, thinner than she remembered and dressed in what would have been black if it wasn't now flecked with blood. Her hair was longer, much longer than last time and a different colour at that. The girl slowly raised her head. Claudia stiffened as she saw dried blood on the side of her temple, and the outline of a hand print bruised into her face. Anya gave a saddened smile.

"Hey Claud, long time no see…"

* * *

Pete felt useless. He knew that he couldn't have helped her past, but she was like a sister to him and he couldn't let her down. Wouldn't let her down. He watched Myka pace restlessly across the room, the way she always did when she was calculating scenarios. Artie had gone back to the Warehouse, mumbling something about inventory. Pete knew that Artie cared a great deal for Claudia, but he knew that he would be of more use in the Warehouse. Without warning, Pete got a vibe, stronger than he had had in a long time. He rose to his feet.

"Myka, where did Claudia go?"

"She went outside. To think."

Myka stopped pacing when she saw the look on Pete's face. She had seen it too many times.

"No" she whispered.

The two of them bolted out of the door, each shouting Claudia's name. They searched the entire grounds relentlessly, but they already knew she was gone. And not of her own free will…

* * *

Claudia's mouth had gone dry. There were a thousand questions she wanted to ask but all she could focus on was the blood on Anya's forehead. Normally she was fine with blood; heck, she was the one making sure Artie was ok, but seeing it in this context made her nauseous. Anya gave a low chuckle.

"You know, I haven't seen you this quiet since I first met you. I'm ok. It's just a scratch from the van. Turns out it's pretty hard to keep your balance when you are handcuffed and hit a pothole. You've been out for a few hours, but I can't be sure. Did they take your phone?"

Claudia had to think about that. She realised with a sinking stomach that it was still on the floor at Leena's where it had fallen all those hours ago. But her Farnsworth….she wriggled her hand down as far as it would go until they brushed the top of her jean pockets. Which were flat. No Farnsworth. Which meant that these people possibly knew about the Warehouse, and had most likely disabled the tracker by now. Claudia shook her head.

"I'm sure we can think of something." Anya sighed. The door unlocked with a resounding clunk.

"Stay silent and whatever you do, do not give away your emotions." She said in a low and hurried tone.

Claudia didn't understand the command until the door opened and the one person she thought she would never see again walked through the door. She managed to keep her face blank, even though her brain was screaming at her. Dr. Mitchner smiled as he noticed her stiffen.

"Good morning Miss Donovan. Shall we begin?"


	4. shall we begin?

firstly i would like to apologise to all who actually read this. university got to much and i just could't keep. but i'm back. oh i am so back.

* * *

Artie sat at his desk in the warehouse, knowing that for once all that lay around him couldn't help. Yet. As soon as Claudia had finished her story, he knew this was going to be much more complicated than any of them thought. Claudia didn't open up much; she was more of a fan the odd cryptic clue about her past every now and again. So when she told them all of this, it made Artie realised that she not only trusted all of them implicitly now, but that this had come as such a shock, she probably didn't even know that she had told them so much. He fired up the computers and did a search on Anya and the doctor that Claudia had been so terrified of. Pete and Myka had told him everything that had happened in the game ( including all of the rhyming which to be honest Artie found terrifying and Pete found hilarious) and from what they had told him of Claudia's vision, thinking of her in the hands of someone like him made Artie's blood run cold. _But she is safe,_ he reminded himself, _she has us._ As soon as his Farnsworth began to ring, he knew something was wrong. A cold, hollow feeling had slowly crept its way in-between his ribs, just where his heart is. It was the feeling you get when you lose something you know you will never find, or when you know everything is about to go horribly wrong. He reached over and with a trembling hand flicked on his Farnsworth.

"She's gone."

* * *

"she's gone. Someone took her." Pete's voice was breaking; a mix of fear for Claudia and anger at himself were cascading over him and he knew that she wouldn't have much time. Artie's brain reeled at this new information. Gone? Gone where?

"What? When? How did-"he stopped himself. There was no point getting angry yet, save that for whatever monster crawled out from under a rock to get her. For now he needed to concentrate on finding her.

"Get back here, both of you. We can track her Farnsworth and her phone from here, and they couldn't have taken her took long ago. Yeah ok, bye."

He looked around his office, trying to think of what to do. He took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose, clearing his head of all the terrible things that could be happening to Claudia right know. Knowing he had no time to waste he started the search on her Farnsworth and her phone, smiling softly as he realised who had taught him how to do most of this, secretly praying she was close by.

* * *

Claudia's brain was screaming questions at her, making it incredibly difficult to keep her face calm. Anya was looking at her, willing her not to do anything that could provoke him into hurting her, not to give anything away. Mitchner smiled as he slowly walked closer to Claudia. He could see that she was terrified but that was good. She was always more co-operative when she was scared.

"How are we feeling today Miss Donovan? Are we feeling up for a session today?"

Claudia didn't move. She kept on staring at the wall; she was not going to let him win anymore. After everything she had been through with the team, especially in Fortress 13 she felt like she wasn't as afraid as she was the last time they met. She hoped. Mitchner turned away from her, circling round the pair of them. A tiger stalking two wildcats.

"Is that a no Miss Donovan? Well maybe Miss Harper will be more obliging."

He pulled her head back and Anya winced. Claudia said nothing. She was listing every Artefact she knew that would cause him as much if not more pain then he was causing Anya in her head.

Mitchner didn't show it, but he was rather perplexed. She had never been this strong, this place she was working in maybe helping her. _Time to try a new tactic_, he pondered. He threw Anya's head back severely and walked over to the door. After knocking twice, two large men in grey overalls strode into the room. They cut the cable ties holding Anya down and hauled her up between them, dragging her out of the room. Matcher followed them out, pausing only to give a small, smug smile to Claudia before slamming the door and plunging her into darkness.

_I'm ok. I am calm. Jesus, wwsd? What would Starbuck do? _She took a deep breath.

_Ok Claudia, let's try to pick this tie then. _She turned her head, then remembering that she couldn't see and got to work trying to find then end of the tie.

Just as Anya started screaming.


	5. plan of action

_Yes, ok a little more. Little further._ Claudia was easing the tail end of the cable tie into the head, trying to loosen it a little. It was tough but she had done it plenty of times before. She would have to buy Myka a small ton of twizzlers for showing her time. Centimetre by centimetre the tie loosened. She could finally feel her right hand again when the door swung violently open and one of the men in overalls stormed in. she stopped moving her hands and tried to look as nonchalant as you could when tied to a chair. The other _lackey, henchman, minion?_ Claudia mused, dragged Anya back into the room. She was covered in more blood (if that was possible) and limp in his arms. He threw her back to her chair and Claudia winced as she missed and landed ribs first on the edge of the seat. The minions left as Anya was struggling to get back onto the chair. They hadn't bothered to tie her hands; they knew she wasn't going anywhere fast.

* * *

Myka paced the office. She had a pen in her hand and was working through every possible scenario and its likely outcomes. Pete was sitting in the chair in the corner, his foot twitching slightly as he was coming up with daring rescues and the reality of them. The only sound in the room was Myka's footsteps and the quick tapping of the computer keys as Artie continued his search of Claudia's phone or Farnsworth. He had been searching for almost an hour now, and still hadn't found her. Usually this meant that the Farnsworth had been tampered with, but he didn't want to entertain the notion that whoever had Claudia knew exactly what she did and knew how to slow them down. The Farnsworth next to Artie began to buzz. Everyone stopped and looked at it, Pete being the first one to react to it. His face fell as he realised it was Leena.

"I used the Durational Spectrometer to see if I could see any of the people who took Claudia. I got a few and I am sending the images to you. I also managed to get some of the plate so I'll bring that over with me now."

"Thanks Leena, see you soon." Pete shut the Farnsworth. _Well at least that something_, he thought glumly to himself. _One step closer_.

* * *

"I had been living sort of off the grid since I last saw you. I was working as a waitress, all cash in hand of course, living in an unlisted building under a false name. Then these two guys started showing up at work. Never sat in my section so I never spoke to them but I just had this feeling about them. One day after work they followed me home, and I knew they were from him. I grabbed what I could and ran. But of course, they caught me. I am sorry claud."

Claudia laughed. She didn't mean to bt it just came out of her. Anya was apologising to her? If it wasn't for her she would still be at the intitute. She wouldn't have a life, or frieds or anything at all really. But she could see that Anya had been pushed past a point in which she could think clearly. She would just have to do the thinking for the both of them.

" how bad are you feeling? Do you think you could walk?"

Anya considered this. She started from her feet, assessing the damage that had been done. She could move her feet reasonably and this meant that there were no brackage there. She could slowly lift her left leg without too much pain but her right was a different matter. Everytime she moved she could see a thin trickle of blood weave its way down the folds in there tattered trousers. Her arms were ok, if a little scratched and bruised. The part that hurt the worst was her head. She had had concussion before but this felt worst; like she had gone 4 rounds with a rhino and won.

"Maybe, I'm guessing you have a plan then?"

"Sort of, I just need to get out of—YES!" she had managed to loosen the ties enough that she could get her hands out but put them back in if Mitchner or his minions decided to show up.

"Ok, here's what we are going to do. Can you loosen your ties? If you just…"

The door opened and the minions entered. But this time they came straight toward Claudia. They hauled her roughly out of the chair and dragged her out of the room. She kept calm, secretly praying that whatever was waiting for her was not what had taken all of the fight out of Anya.


	6. confessions

i may be away for a little while so here is my two-for-one chapters. enjoy. :-)

* * *

Mitchner stood in another room, waiting for Claudia to enter. He had found out about the warehouse by chance whilst trying to find her but once he knew the possibilities of what she could get him he knew more than ever he needed her. The door peeled open and Claudia walked in. she held her head up and looked him in the eye now. Something she had never done. Clearly they had had some kind of influence over her. But he had broken her once before and he could do it again. Easily. Surprisingly she spoke first.

"What do you want from me?"

He paused before he spoke, more for effect then necessity. He wanted to observe how she would react to him.

"I want you to do for me what you do for your boss. Find these items so that my boys can track them down."

"I don't know what you are talking about. I work for the IRS now. You can look it up."

She had much more fire than he thought. Clearly she was going to be much for fun than last time. But he wasn't done yet.

"Oh I did. Well hidden I must add, but I could see past all that. I know about the warehouse."

A cold chill ran down Claudia's back, like a drop of ice slowly making its way down her neck. I know about the warehouse. This wasn't good. It put the rest of the team in danger. It put the warehouse in danger. She was not going to let Mitchner anywhere near any of that. She just had to play it cool and figure out what he wanted. And then come up with a plan. But all of the things she had ever wanted to say to him just bubbled out of her before she could stop herself.

"And what makes you think I am going to do anything for you? You are the reason that I can't sleep most nights because I remember everything you ever did to me. All those 'treatments' you said would help me, every time you told me Joshua was dead and that I was just having delusions? I have spent so long trying to bury all of that and do you know what doctor? I don't want to. So do what you have to do. Torture me, hell bury me alive for I care. I will never help you."

Mitchner smiled and moved closer to her. Claudia instinctively leant back but she couldn't get far enough away.

"What makes you think you are the one I will hurt?"


	7. on three

Pete had been sitting in front of the computer for 2 hours now. Leena had brought over the spectrometer and he was now trying to find who the guys were that grabbed Claudia so they could try and track them down. He hated just sitting here, but both Myka and Artie were down on the warehouse floor looking for anything they could use and Leena was back at the B&B. his eyes began to droop closed, his head falling slightly forward at the prospect of sleep. _No!_ He bolted upright. Claudia needed him and he wouldn't let her down. Just at that moment the screen on the computer changed. It had picked up one of the men.

"Shawn Deamer huh?" he said to himself "now who do you work for?"

He clicked through the file to find out more. He wasn't a Claudia-level hacker but he knew his way around the system. When he traced back the money that Deamer was being paid, his blood ran cold and a Vibe hit him hard. He stumbled out of the chair and out of the office, shouting for Myka and Artie. He knew who had Claudia and he knew they had to move fast.

* * *

They had dragged Claudia back into the room with Anya, Mitchner's last words echoing in her mind. That's why they had gone after Anya first, to make sure she would co-operate. She knew in her heart that she wouldn't do anything to harm the warehouse or her family, but seeing what they had already done to Anya she couldn't bear thinking of what else they could possibly do to her. And she wasn't going to let her find out. By the time that she was back, Anya had managed to loosen her ties enough that she could just about squeeze her hands out. As soon as the men had left she stood up shakily and made her way over to Claudia. Up close, Claudia could see all the bruising down her neck and collarbone. Anya loosened her ties and then told Claudia her plan. Claudia though it was insane but she couldn't think of anything else, so she started to yell for one of the men. The door swung open and one of them came in. As he did, Anya swung her chair and hit him straight across the back of the head. The man was out instantly but they didn't want to take chances. Whilst Anya tied his hands together, Claudia took his gun. She looked down at it. She had never used anything but a tesla before, and this seemed so much more…final, if she hit someone. She wasn't sure if she could actually kill someone, but she didn't really have a choice. Suddenly a soft hand was on top of hers, taking the gun. Anya looked at her and nodded. She still looked shaky, but with much more resolve. _She's more of a fighter than I thought_, Claudia thought, maybe_ I should introduce her to Mrs. F? _Anya waved her over and she stood behind her next to the door way.

"On three?" said Claudia shakily.

Anya paused for a second. "Three"


	8. wrong side of the wall

Pete and Myka had tracked down the van that had been used to transport Claudia to an abandoned shop not an hour away from the Warehouse. The shop, which had once been some sort of bakery had long since closed but looking at the plans there was a basement which they had no doubt that Claudia was in. they entered the shop silently, searching for the entrance to the basement. Pete hear a click and saw Myka over the other end of the room, hand aloft next to a door. She moved over and stood on the other side to her. He nodded and she cautiously opened the door. Pete went first down the staircase, Myka followed, gun out in front of her. She knew this could be messy, but she was willing to do anything to save Claudia. And she knew she meant that. They reached to bottom of the stair. It was silent, scarily so. They moved forward, but lurched quickly back when they heard a shout coming from the other side of the wall. It was female, and familiar. Pete ran over to the wall and placed his hand against it. Claudia was on the other side of it, he knew it.

It was the wrong side of the wall.

Another shout and Myka was over to him in an instant, pulling him away and back up the stairs and out of the shop. Next door was a butchers, and still in use. _Should have seen that coming, _thought Myka angrily. She barged her way in, shouting secret service as she went. One of the butchers tried to stop her but Pete tesla-ed him quickly. She found the door to the basement and without waiting for Pete, headed down into the black.

* * *

As they rushed through the door, Claudia spotted the other minion. She motioned to Anya and she shot him in the leg. The man howled as he hit the floor, dropping his gun. Claudia ran over and snatched it from him. He grabbed one of her legs and she cried out as she hit the floor hard. She could feel the blood springing to the cuts along her forearm and cheek bone that the wall had kindly given her on her way down. Another of Myka's tricks sprang up, so she drew her other leg back him and kicked him in the shoulder, breaking his collarbone. She scrambled up and ran back to Anya who was supporting herself with the aid of the wall.

"I'm fine" she hissed through gritted teeth, clearly in more pain then she would want to admit. Claudia took her arm and they headed for the staircase. Just as they hit the bottom of it, Claudia heard a gun cocking. They stopped and turned slowly. Mitchner was standing there, and gun pointed at Claudia.

"You know, I really expect-"

Claudia jumped as the shot rang out. She turned, expecting to see Anya but it was Myka. Pete was clutching onto the unconscious Anya, hauling her into a baby-carry. Claudia felt tears springing up and she threw herself at Myka. The two embraced quickly, knowing that they needed to get Anya to the hospital. Claudia took one last look at the man who had made her life hell. She knew she hated him, but looking at his lifeless body, she knew she had never wished this on him. Myka took her hand and lead her upstairs into the car. She sat in the back with Anya, she was cold and the colour was already starting to fade from her face. Claudia pulled her in close and told Pete to drive faster, praying that that little bit of fight that Anya had would hold out until the hospital.


	9. disinfectant and tulips

Anya's sense of smell came back to her first. The scent of disinfectant and tulips. She slowly opened her eyes and waited for them to focus on the room around her. She was in a private hospital room, a nice one at that, a small bouquet of tulips on the table next to her. In the chair to her right was Claudia, curled up in a ball asleep. She looked better, the bruising on her face from where they took her were fading well, and soon would be gone. The cuts would take a little longer but they didn't look like they would scar, she could have had worse. Anya looked down at herself. She could move her toes; that was a good sign. She tried to shift slightly and a dull ache spread through her legs and back. She moaned slightly and gave up.

Claudia heard a noise and woke up. Anya was awake, finally. She moved over to the bed.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Claudia asked softly. She sat gingerly on the edge of the bed.

"Like that is the stupidest question I have heard in a while? Honestly why do people even ask that?" she tried to laugh but the pain in her chest caused her to wince, making Claudia look even more worried. "Relax, I feel fine. Morphine is amazing, did you know that?"

Claudia gave a small smile, but then because serious.

"Anya, I am so sorry for all of this. If it wasn't for me and the ware- my job, you wouldn't have been caught up in all of this."

Anya took her hand. "Claudia, I know about the warehouse. What, do you think even after our last conversation I wasn't going to keep tabs on you? You don't need to worry about me. Although I have a feeling we should be worried about the woman wearing a tweed suit standing at the end of my bed."

Claudia spun around so fast that she almost fell off the bed.

"Mrs. Frederic, she doesn't know…I didn't…"

Mrs. Frederic held up a hand to Claudia. She knew the circumstances and she had already made her decision about Miss Harper. She motioned for Claudia to go and join the others outside.

Claudia hesitated and looked at Anya. Anya gave her that nod which said, don't worry, I can handle this. She walked out of the door and closed it behind her. Pete, Myka and Artie were all in the waiting room. Artie hadn't stopped fussing and grumbling since she returned and he saw the state she was in, but he had given her the longest hug she had even known to exist and just said "I've got you". She went and curled up next to him, waiting for Mrs. Frederic to come and tell her the fate of Anya.

* * *

ok people, that is the end of this story! don't worry i have plenty more lined up so you will just have to wait and see what happens to our dear Anya. thank you to all that have followed, reviewd etc. means a lots! x


End file.
